Admissions
Legal Framework
The school’s current admission policy is operated by the Shropshire Local Authority (LA), which is the admissions authority for all Community and Controlled Schools within Shropshire. Full details of the policy, together with information about the arrangements for admissions, are set out in the “Parents’ Guide to Education in Shropshire” displayed on the Admissions section of the Shropshire Council Website www.shropshire.gov.uk/schooladmissions or click on the link at the bottom of the page. The telephone number for the Admissions Team is 0345 678 9008.
The school has an admission number of 60 for the reception intake. Parents of reception children in Shropshire will be required, in the autumn term prior to the school year of admission, to complete a Local Authority application form stating preferences for up to three schools. If there are more applications than available places within the admission limit, then priority will be given based on:
- Education and Health Care Plan
- Looked After Children
- Sibling connections and residence within catchment area
- Residence within catchment area
- Sibling connections and residence outside catchment area
- Proximity to school and residence outside catchment area
Please see the “Parents’ Guide” for specific details. Parents should be aware that attendance at a particular primary school does not in any way guarantee a place at a particular secondary school.
When do children start school?
The law says that children must start their education no later than the beginning of the term after their fifth birthday.
Parents of spring and summer born pupils can, if they wish, opt to have their children admitted to mainstream school in the September prior to their fifth birthday. In recent years all our children have started in the September.
Parents should refer to the “Parents’ Guide to Education in Shropshire” when it is published in the autumn for detailed guidance on starting dates.
Visits to the school
Parents who wish to visit school because they are considering applying for a place are always welcome to do so. Appointments can be made by contacting the school office.
Applying for a Reception place at Oxon
Whilst it is helpful if parents can let school know at an early date if they would like their children to attend in due course, such expressions of interest do not constitute registering a child, nor placing a child’s name on a waiting list nor being offered a place. Offers of places can only be confirmed in the academic year before the child is due to start school. This process is handled by the Local Authority.
After a place has been allocated by the Local Authority
In the term prior to a child's entry into school, the parents are invited to a meeting with the headteacher. It will be an opportunity to learn more about, and to see the school, your child's future classroom and class teacher. Towards the end of the term prior to entry, there will be a school visit for your child, spending two afternoons with his or her class teacher for the following term.
The 1989 Children's Act requires school to keep a register of all adults with parental responsibility but not living in the same house as the child. If relevant, please indicate the names and addresses of such adults in the relevant place on the admission forms.
Mid Term or In-Year Applications
Mid-term applications will be dealt with using the same admissions criteria given above. To apply for a place other than the start of Reception, parents should apply directly to the school on a mid-term application form available from the Shropshire Council website www.shropshire.gov.uk/schooladmissions or from school. If there is a space in the relevant year group a place will be granted. If the application is for a place in an over-subscribed year group, then the Headteacher will meet with the School Administrator to consider whether additional places can be offered, above the published admission number.
If a place cannot be offered, parents will receive a formal letter and information on how to appeal against the decision from Shropshire Council Admissions Team.